# Cobar Shire

Cobar Shire is a local government area in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is located in an outback area that is centred around the mining town of Cobar. The Shire is traversed by the Barrier Highway and the Kidman Way. With a total area of 44,065 square kilometres (17,014 sq mi), about two-thirds the size of Tasmania, Cobar Shire is larger than Denmark and 99 other countries and self-governing territories, but its population is under 5000.
Lilliane Brady OAM was the mayor of Cobar Shire for more than 20 years, before her death in 2021. At the time of her death, she was the longest-serving female mayor in New South Wales' history.
The current mayor of Cobar Shire Council is Cr. Peter Abbott, an independent politician.

## Villages and localities

The shire also includes several small outback towns and localities; the twin villages of Euabalong and Euabalong West in the far south east of the shire, Canbelego, Mount Hope, Murrin Bridge, Nymagee and Irymple.

## Demographics

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics during 2003–04 there:
* were 1,898 wage and salary earners (ranked 116th in New South Wales and 376th in Australia, less than 0.1% of both New South Wales's 2,558,415 and Australia's 7,831,856)
* was a total income of $79 million (ranked 108th in New South Wales and 359th in Australia, less than 0.1% of both New South Wales's $107 billion and Australia's $304 billion)
* was an estimated average income per wage and salary earner of $41,386 (ranked 27th in New South Wales and 85th in Australia, 100% of New South Wales's $41,407 and 107% of Australia's $38,820)
* was an estimated median income per wage and salary earner of $36,856 (ranked 27th in New South Wales and 81st in Australia, 104% of New South Wales's $35,479 and 108% of Australia's $34,149).
Selected historical census data for Cobar Shire local government area :
| Census year | Census year | Census year | 2011 | 2016 |
| Population | Population | Estimated residents on census night | 4,710 | 4,647 |
| Population | Population | LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales | 114th | 113th |
| Population | Population | % of New South Wales population | |
| Population | Population | % of Australian population | |
| Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | English | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Australian | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Italian | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Chinese | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Irish | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Italian | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Mandarin | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Cantonese | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Korean | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Greek | |
| Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Catholic | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | No religion | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Anglican | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Eastern Orthodox | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Buddhism | |
| Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | | |
| Personal income | Personal income | Median weekly personal income | A$ |
| Personal income | Personal income | % of Australian median income | |
| Family income | Family income | Median weekly family income | |
| Family income | Family income | % of Australian median income | |
| Household income | Household income | Median weekly household income | |
| Household income | Household income | % of Australian median income | |

## Council
### Current composition and election method

Cobar Shire Council is composed of 12 councillors elected proportionally to a single ward. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021. Only eleven candidates nominated for election, and with there being no additional candidates, the election was uncontested. A by-election was held on 26 February 2022 for the remaining seat. The makeup of the council is as follows:
| Party | Party | Councillors |
| | Independents and Unaligned | 12 |
| | Total | 12 |
The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election, is:
| Councillor | Party | Notes |
| Peter Abbott | Independent | Mayor |
| Tony Chaplain | Independent | |
| Janine Lea-Barrett | Independent | |
| Jarrod Marsden | Independent | Deputy Mayor |
| Peter Maxwell | Independent | |
| Kain Neale | Independent | |
| Julie Payne | Independent | |
| Lillian Simpson | Unaligned | |
| Bob Sinclair | Unaligned | |
| Harley Toomey | Independent | |
| Kate Winders | Independent | |
| Michael Prince | Independent | Elected at the 26 February 2022 by-election |

## Election results
### 2024

2024 New South Wales local elections: Cobar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Jarrod Marsden (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Miranda Fry (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Bob Sinclair (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Lillian Simpson (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Peter Florance (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Michael Prince (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Harley Toomey (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Michael Haines (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Kate Winders (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Chris Deighton (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Nigel Vagg (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent Liberal | Wayne Phillips (elected) | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |

### 2022 by-election

2022 Cobar Shire Council by-election: 26 February 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Michael Prince (elected) | 1,537 | 77.28 | +77.28 |
| | Independent | Jesse Cochrane Adolfson | 452 | 22.72 | +22.72 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,989 | 98.42 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 32 | 1.58 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,021 | 80.0 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
* By-election held to fill the remaining 12th seat, which was not filled at the 2021 election

### 2021

2021 New South Wales local elections: Cobar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Peter Abbott (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Tony Chaplain (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Janine Lea-Barrett (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Jarrod Marsden (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Peter Maxwell (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Kain Neale (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Julie Payne (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Lillian Simpson (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Bob Sinclair (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Harley Toomey (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Kate Winders (elected) | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,829 |